Emergency Pilot (2)

Yinuo's gaze never left her enemy as she took a deep breath, analyzing her current situation.

"This [Doppel] thing moves as I wanted it to, but there's too much delay."

Just like her earlier sword swing, she wanted to adjust the trajectory as the dragon-shaped Echo dodged, but the reaction of the Doppel was delayed by roughly 0.01 seconds. It wasn't much, but a fatal error in such a fast-paced battle.

"But it's fortunate that this Doppel is powerful, at the same level as a Peak Foundation Establishment Stage. If not for that, then I doubt if this slow sword could even reach the enemy."

*GRAAAAAAAAGH!*

"...!"

As the Echo released another deafening roar, Yinuo snapped back from her short post-analysis.

The distance between the two of them wasn't that far. It could be covered in just a few steps if Yinuo moved, but after just a single step, she would end up within the enemy's range. In short, she can't act carelessly before her enemy at all!

However, just staring at each other wouldn't conclude the battle either. Yinuo knew that she was at a disadvantage in a battle of attrition, seeing that the enemy was more powerful than she was.

"I need to finish this battle in a few moves, and fast!"

Finally, Sylveria moved!

However, instead of going forward, it took distance from the enemy, jumping backward several times. The dragon-shaped echo saw this and, of course, didn't miss the chance.

*GRAAAAAAAGH!*

As it released another resounding roar, it started to create another ball of energy in front of its mouth. However, instead of getting worried, Yinuo's eyes opened wide as a smile appeared on her face.

"I was waiting for that, you one-trick pony!"

With a powerful stomp, Sylveria stopped its retreat and instead leaned forward. The two plasma cutters were lowered as Sylveria's hands crossed before its body. It was as if the Doppel was performing a double quickdraw without a sheath.

"[Heavenly Sword Technique: Twin Heavenly Fangs]!"

Sylveria's cores suddenly got to 100% output, giving energy to its legs and even the boosters on its back. Yinuo's wish to move as fast as lightning was answered, as the boosters activated despite her not knowing how to use them!

A bright flash of blue light spread as the boosters opened, exploding into life. With the thrust of the boosters, Sylveria's body rapidly moved forward, but it was still too slow for Yinuo's senses. To speed it up even further, she kicked the ground right as the Doppel was lifted off the ground, sending it in a literal flash and reaching the Dragon's underside.

The two plasma cutters waved, etching a cross on the monster's body. But as expected, the dragon managed to save its crystal from getting struck once more!

"Got you!"

Twin Fang isn't an attack named like that because it uses two blades, but rather because it's an attack that comes from under and above in one swing. The two plasma cutters bent their trajectories, returning downward!

*CRACK!*

Both swords landed a solid hit, but unfortunately, they came up short. The crystal merely cracked but didn't shatter, meaning the enemy Echo was still alive.

*PIIIIIIIIIIIII!*

A high-pitched sound echoed, causing Yinuo to wince in pain. A warm liquid started flowing from her ears shortly after. The sound attack ruptured both her eardrums!

Furthermore, it didn't end there. As the dragon-shaped Echo was reeling back from the impact of the slash, it turned around, sending its tail slapping at a speed faster than sound.

*THWACK!*

A solid hit landed on Sylveria's chest, causing large damage. It was fortunate that the reactors were heavily protected; otherwise, they might've been destroyed by that attack.

Still, the momentum of the tail caused Sylveria to get knocked back. Yinuo did her best to try to maintain her position, but in the end, she was still forced a few steps back.

*CREAK!*

Just as she regained the Doppel's balance, Yinuo could hear worrying sounds coming from all over it. The attack didn't damage the cores, but it still caused severe damage to the frame. The Doppel wouldn't be able to move as easily as it did before now.

Yinuo knew that she couldn't prolong the battle any longer, so she decided to gamble.

Gathering all her Qi, she poured them into the Doppel, Sylveria, let it extend both hands up, bending them backward as if trying to reach its own back.

"[Roaring Seas Sword, Third Form: Biting Waves]!"

Yinuo threw the two swords at maximum power! The Qi she added inside it caused a ripple in the air, dragging more Qi alongside it. Right before the two swords hit the dragon, a tsunami-like amount of Qi was already behind it.

The blades flew at almost blinding speeds, piercing right through the crystal, the weakness of the Echo. After a slight delay, the tsunami-like Qi then swallowed it, causing numerous wounds to appear all over its body.

"... Damn, if I knew that the swords alone were enough, then I wouldn't have wasted my Qi!" Yinuo cursed, seeing the enemy slowly dissipate into black powder.

Sylveria was also spent. All its cores were overheating and were forced to enter a forced cooling mode, which technically shuts them down for a while. Yinuo herself wasn't that fine either, as both her eardrums were destroyed, adding to the damage to a few of her organs from the sound attacks. Fortunately, they weren't too severe, and she could recover easily by reinforcing her natural regeneration with Qi.

Just as her hearing returned, she noticed that a voice was echoing a short distance away. Turning around, Yinuo noticed that it was coming from the helmet on Melody's head.

{Control Tower to Sylveria, the thing blocking the signal got cleared. What's your status? Over!}

Yinuo had no idea how to reply to them, so without any choice, she unbuckled the seatbelt around her and moved beside Yinuo. Just as the voice was asking the same question again, Yinuo neared Melody's face, as if about to kiss her, and replied in a not-so-loud voice.

"Yeah, we're okay. But Gregory died. Uhh, over?"

{... Is this Quinlan? What are you doing there with Melody? Anyway, you two should quickly return. An abnormally powerful Echo is heading there. According to reports, it looked like a dragon—}

"Ah, that one?" Yinuo scratched her cheeks. "We already took it down. It's gone now... Ah, over."

Silence ensued for a short while, as if the Control Tower wasn't able to process what Yinuo claimed. A powerful Echo, one that managed to wipe out an entire squadron of professionals who were defending the large dome, was taken down by students.

{... A genius... You really are a genius, Quinlan! Wait there; we already have your position. We will send an extraction squad immediately. Over!}

Yinuo sighed. Although she doesn't really get why she's getting called a genius, getting rescued was their first priority. As if to congratulate her achievement, the system's window finally appeared before her.

[Congratulations! You have completed the Side Quest: Save Melody!]

[Reward Received: Switch Card (10 min) x 1]

A smile appeared on her face, reading this. After all, now she had another safety measure in case Quinlan screws up!